Vancouver 2010 and Butternut Squash Soup

Hi Haley,

Top Memories from the Vancouver 2010 ReemsEats Conference (Readers: Haley and I met in Vancouver to attend a Stollen and Panettone Baking Class on Granville Island)

1. Cold weather, snow fall, and the sunlight hitting the mountains, which provided a backdrop to Granville Island
2. Receiving a complementary facial at the noodle bar due to massive amounts of steam generated by boiling pots of noodles, pork, and broth.
3. Using an electric scale
4. Buying an electric scale
5. Laughing a bit too enthusiastically at the German Baking Instructor's 'stolen' jokes
6. "More butter is better"
7. Min panettone over two-for-one Starbucks
8. St. Sinclare
9. Scott removing her pants at Numbu (or whatever it's called)
10. Haley always laughing

Things I learned at the 2010 ReemsEats Conference

1. Never let Haley out of your sight or she might shame the entire ReemsEats corporation by lining her baking sheet with nearly ten pieces of parchment paper.
2. More butter is better (Don't worry, Joan, I haven't taken this adage to heart)
3. Using a kitchen scale is more accurate and faster than volume measurement.
4. Add baking powder to sweet yeasted dough for a shorter dough.
5. Take the time to go to Vancouver to hangout with Haley. The rewards are infinite.

Now, I know I was to post a Stollen recipe as a companion to this post BUT I have a better idea. Remember, on the way to the ferry, when we stopped on Granville, slipped into Williams and Sonoma and sampled apple cider and that amazing butternut squash soup?

Yes?

I made the soup. The recipe is online and you don't need to buy W.and S.'s bottled pureed squash, at the exorbitant price of thirty dollars a pop. Here is the recipe (the link is not showing up--but click on 'recipe'). It is hands down the best B.S. soup I have made. Be sure to use stock, not water.

(I'm very excited about our siblings Christmas dinner--look up Zambri's and tell me what you think. Too pricey?)

love, R.